


Class Christmas Special

by shadow_in_the_shade



Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Gen, IT'S CHRISTMASSY OK, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-25 00:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17110649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_in_the_shade/pseuds/shadow_in_the_shade
Summary: Class Christmas fic in which nothing terrible happens at all; literally, our crew go to sing Christmas carols and spend Christmas eve together. Because they need a good time sometimes. Tooth rotting sappiness. Enjoy :-)





	Class Christmas Special

**Class Christmas Special**

 

 

“IT'S CHRIIIIISTMAS!” Ram bellows, barrelling himself into the group of them - “What's happening, nerds?” The rest of them are stood in a huddle, bundled up, stamping feet and burying noses into scarves against the cold. Matteusz has his nose buried in the edge of Charlie's scarf; a combination of not having his own and the excuse to snuffle up close to Charlie.

 

“We're here for the Christmas carols in the high street!” April beams, letting Ram into the huddle.

 

“My mum's in the choir,” Tanya adds. Ram stares at them hard, trying to detect any signs of irony or if he might be being hustled. They smile back disingenuously.

 

“Oh shit me, you're all for real,” Ram groans.

 

“And I, for one, was curious about the entire Christmas tradition,” Charlie adds. Ram raises an eyebrow wondering whether or not to say anything about how immensely bundled up Charlie is, so many layers he looks like a small ball and – is he wearing mittens on a string? The opportunity is almost too much to miss -

 

“So what are you, the Christmas robin? How is it you don't even _have_ a parent to make you wear that shit and yet still think mittens aren't gonna get you beaten up?”

 

“Ram, be nice,” April elbows him - “Tis the season.”

 

“I mean what does that even mean, though? Like – it's okay to not be nice the rest of the year as long as you make up for it at Christmas?”

 

“And that is Christianity in the nut shell,” Matteusz murmurs.

 

“So we're an atheist, a Sikh, whatever the hell Charlie is, and April you're -”

 

“Agnostic.”

 

“Right. Sounds like the start of a bad joke. And I ask again – why?”

 

“Carols are nice?” offers Tanya.

 

“Yeah,” Matteusz agrees - “I used to get dragged to church every week, many times at Christmas. Even I think carols are nice.”

 

“Fiiine. But it's pissing cold and snowing.”

 

“Oh, is that what the white stuff is – umff – someone google “Snow” for me – it's not working with these on my hands”.

 

“So take the paws off?”

 

“They're not _paws,_ Tanya they're – what did you say Ram – mittens?”

 

“Yeah I'm gonna go with paws too now.”

 

“Oh shut up, the lot of you -” April elbows everyone all round - “The singing's started.”

 

The sound of acapella carols floats down the street on the frosty air, people all around joining in which creates a curious, calming, echoey effect ,lifting the songs up to the sky. Tanya and April join in whole heartedly, even Ram singing along to the bits he knows, though only Matteusz seems to know all the later verses. Charlie just watches them all in a happy enjoyment that none of them, not even Ram, can mock on glancing over at his entranced face and shining eyes.

 

-x-

 

Walking back down the street later, Charlie falls behind to pick up the mittens that Ram has stuffed with snow, and whirled around on their string into the snow.

 

“So people,” Matteusz whispers - “We have to do something. It is Charlie's first Christmas!”

 

“Oh my god ,lol,” Ram splutters. “Way to make your boyfriend sound like an actual infant.”

 

“Okay, but I can't believe you just actually said _lol_ though?”

 

“Tanya yesterday I heard you say and I quote “omg lmao,” so just don't even.”

 

“Yeah, I was being ironic?”

 

“Guys!” April yelps - “Matteusz is right – Charlie's first Christmas! We need to all get together Christmas Eve or something. We could do presents and bring snacks? You think Quill would let us all come over?”

 

“I think she will moan and groan and not be able to stop us. We can maybe bring her presents also? And maybe chocolate. She likes chocolate.”

 

“Okay Matteusz, you're on chocolate duty. I'll bring mince pies.”

 

“You're gonna bake them yourself, aren't you?” Ram groans.“Alright fine, I';ll bring pakoras.”

 

“Pakoras are a christmas tradition in England?”

 

“So bring something Polish. And yeah, they are in the Singh family.”

 

“Hey guys, what's happening?” Charlie catches up to them, out of breath and winding his scarf around his neck again.

 

“Nice scarf,” Tanya pokes it - “You're Slytherin, then?”

 

“What? I just like green and silver – and snakes? What?” Charlie looks around at them so innocently they all have to laugh - “Am I missing something?”

 

“Awww mate,” Tanya laughs - “You wait till we sit you down with Harry Potter – you're sooo gonna regret that choice.”

 

“He will not,” Matteusz sighs with weary affection. “He will suit it.”

 

“Harsh,” says April.

“Slytherin house is unfairly maligned,” Matteusz shrugs - “I cannot decide between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.”

 

“I'm a Ravenclaw.”

 

“Yeah, we know that Tanya.”

 

“Shut up, poster child for Gryffindor – what about you Ram? What's your Hogwarts house?”

 

“Um – the one where I'm _not_ a total nerd?”

 

Eventually they go their separate ways, agreeing to converge upon the Quill – Smith household on Christmas Eve.

 

-x-

 

“What the bloody hell is that?” says Quill on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, Matteusz handing her a metre long Christmas present. “It better not be weaponry I can't even use, that's just unfair – and why is it wrapped? Why do you wrap things at Christmas anyway?”

 

“Human monkey brains like the shiny,” Matteusz shrugs - “Is early Christmas present for you, Miss Quill. Please open.”

 

Quill goes for the wrapping like it has offended her personally, drawing out a metre long bar of Dairy Milk. She looks at Matteusz suspiciously, but holding the chocolate protectively at the same time.

 

“Alright. What do you want?”

 

“Everyone is coming over for Christmas Eve,” Matteusz almost yells, darting up the stairs away from her - “In about an hour. Goodbye!”

 

Quill yells. Upstairs Charlie and Matteusz high – five, though Charlie does not quite understand the gesture.

 

At ten to seven, the three of them sit in the living room, snacks out, Christmas tree lights lit, Quill starting in on the Dairy Milk -

 

“You're all allowed to have fun until I get to the end of this. Just so you know.”

 

“I have reserves,” Matteusz whispers.

 

“You know, I still say we could have just ordered her to be okay with it.”

 

“And I say chocolate.” Matteusz is gently bouncing; Charlie frowns at him, smiling at the same time.

“Are you quite alright?”

 

“This is the first Christmas Eve I get to do something fun- usually my parents just drag me to church, it's exciting!”

 

“Yeah, I still don't get the church thing – I tried reading about the Christmas story but it's all very illogical? I mean why would the sheep be out this time of year anyway? And could a donkey take that much weight? Also -”

 

“Doorbell!” Matteusz yells - “I'll – can I -”

 

“It's your house too. Of course you can.”

 

“In fact, please do,” Quill adds. “I'm exceptionally busy”.

 

Busy appears to be an attempt to cram in as much chocolate as possible, though nobody comments because at that point the others burst in yelling festive greetings and cheerful abuse. Scarves and gloves are shed, presents put under the tree and snack offerings added to the table.

 

“Hey, who even decorated this tree?” Ram laughs. “Looks like three different people did totally different things – like what somebody's tried to make it right traditional -”

 

“Yes, that was me,” - Matteusz, proudly.

 

“ - and someone else was trying to go for classy modern and failing -”

 

“I don't know what you mean – I wasn't _failing -”_

 

“- and someone else just hated everything and threw strings of bloody beads at it.”

 

“Yeah that was me. I hated it. What's your point?”

 

“This tree is reflecting the whole household,” Matteusz shrugs - “Leave it alone. It is doing its best.”

 

Charlie sits watching everyone so expectantly Tanya has to laugh -

 

“Okay which Christmas ritual is it first? The presents or the food?”

 

“Ritual? Do I have to stand? On my planet -”

 

“It's an expression dumbass – presents first. Obviously.”

 

“No – food first.”

 

After a long row between the two in which more than one person gets hit by a thrown mince pie they give out presents first.

 

“April did you _make_ all these?”

 

April has given everyone touchingly heartfelt personalised room decorations, most of them including photos of the whole lot of them except for her Charlie – Matteusz present which is a framed collage of just the two of them.

 

“Hey we have a joint present? Charlie we are really official now! This is like engaged!”

 

“What? We're engaged now?”

 

“Calm down, Charlie he's joking -”

April turns to Matteusz quickly, concerned - “Right?”

 

“Umm – right?”

 

“Thank god because you know – we're still only seventeen. Anyway yeah, joint present -”  
  


“Awww – April ships them!”

 

“Shut up Ram! Okay I do. I do though.”

 

Ram pretends to hate April's present to him while Matteusz explains shipping to Charlie.

 

“Hey who got me the actual PS4?” Tanya cuts in - “Not that I'm complaining but oh my g -”

 

“Don't look at me,” Ram shrugs - “I just stuck money you didn't have to earn into your gaming account.”

 

“Aww that's nice but – seriously?”

 

“And I have an entire actual laptop.”

 

“Really - a phone exactly like the one Quill broke - ?” Charlie turns to the suspiciously silent Quill -

 

“Quill?”

 

“Oh shut up. I didn't want you to report me for vandalism. _You_ work too hard, play more; and _you –_ I get sick of hearing you two fight over who's turn it is on the computer.”

 

“Oh my god, they _fight?”_ April looks stricken.

 

“For a frequent twenty seconds all the god damn time, only apparently fighting on your planet is foreplay and you know what - these walls are thin and I can't cope. So go forth. Use the laptop and shut up.”

 

“Ummm – I think, thank you Miss Quill?”

 

“Yeah whatever.”

 

“I got you more chocolate?”

 

In whispers they confer about the fact that they haven't got Quill better stuff, until Charlie rises stiffly, goes out and comes back again, handing her a small box.

 

“Here,” he says awkwardly - “I don't suppose Merry Christmas covers it, but perhaps I should have given you it before.”

 

Quill frowns at him but opens the box. All the others catch a glimpse of is a small red metal bracelet. Quill looks at Charlie sharply, her fingers actually trembling as she strokes the smooth metal and she says something very quickly, voice rather strange, in a language they don't understand. Charlie makes her a reply they also do not understand and she inclines her head and has to leave the room for a moment.

 

“What the hell happened there?”

 

“Is she okay?”

 

“I think she may be experiencing gratitude and consequently has to be alone for a few minutes.”

 

Charlie smiles faintly. When Quill comes back she glares at Charlie for a moment like she is contemplating hugging him and eventually sits down and starts back on the chocolate. She stays with them all the way through food, leaving only before the rounds of cheesy Christmas games start.

 

-x-

 

“Charlie?” Matteusz whispers much later that night, when all is quiet and dark and expectation hang over the mess downstairs - “Are you awake?”

 

“I am now.”

 

“Sorry, sorry – I just wondered – what _did_ you give to Quill?”

 

There is a silence while Charlie thinks how to explain.

 

“Quill bracelets like that contain the memories of the Quill they were bonded to. In war my people used to take them from the dead as trophies – no, don't, I _know._ When my mother ordered the Arn placed in Miss Quill, she gave me the bracelet of Quill's mate – she said – my mother said – I could use it if I ever needed extra leverage over Quill. Please don't tell me again how terrible my people can be. Anyway, I didn't want it and I know I should have given it to her sooner – that's what I said to her downstairs – I just didn't know _how_ or – or when. I was afraid she'd be mad I even had it.”

 

“She was not? Mad?”

 

“Oddly no. I think she would have liked to be. But I did tell her I was sorry -”

 

“About everything?”

 

“No -” Charlie makes a softly incredulous noise - “Of course not about everything, but about that -yes, because I am.”

 

“You never stop being surprising,” Matteusz smiles in the dark - “Quill also”. He rolls over to hold onto Charlie, kissing the back of his neck -

 

“Good Christmas?”

 

“The best?”

 

Matteusz snorts -

 

“It's your _only –_ and we still have tomorrow. I'm cooking.”

 

“It's still the best. Is it – is it – your best? I'm sorry you're not seeing your family.”

 

Matteusz holds him tighter.

 

“I think I did already – just tonight.”

 

__x__

 

 

 

 

Merry christmas folks! The Quill - bracelet thing is actually canon from "Stone House" ....well Quill having this one anyway, it's my headcanon that Charlie gave her it and this fic for all it is a fluff -fest at least gave me the chance to explain that one! More Class fic from me to follow! :-)


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